Why did I not know about these until NOW?

It has come to my attention that "cake balls" are the newest popular treat around town. I have been to 2 baby showers within 3 weeks...both involving CAKE BALLS and was a virgin cake ball eater...until now! Is it just me or did you not know tiny little morsels existed either!?

I'm not a cook...and definitely not a baker. Anything with more than 5 ingredients intimidates me but cake balls make the cutest little desserts (not to mention they are SO good!) so I just had to find out how intensive it could really be. I felt like an idiot. There are 3 measly ingredients and only a handful of steps. That's it. I felt compelled to share this oh-so-simple recipe! (If I deem it as "do-able"...you should too!)

According to Paula Deen...this is how it's done:

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared cake frosting
• 6 ounces of chocolate flavored confectioners coating disks or bar (available in white chocolate, dark or milk)
• Food Coloring (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.

Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray.

NOTE: We found that an old Easter egg dipper works as well. If the balls fall off the toothpick into the chocolate, they are not firm enough to work with and you'll need to place them back in the freezer for additional time

Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.

There are SO many different things you can do with the recipe-the possibilities are endless:

• Use any flavor cake mix and/or icing (Ex: red velvet cake/cream cheese icing...funfetti cake/vanilla icing...I could go on for DAYS!)
  
• Dye the white baking chocolate to whatever color goes with the party
  
• Drizzle white chocolate over the coated chocolate cake balls or vice versa
• Add sprinkles! (What doesn't look good with sprinkles?!)
• Decorate them like this...(oh how I love the lady bugs!!)
  
• Put them on a stick and call them "Cake Pops"-like this...
  

Honestly, I could care less what they look like. They taste AMAZING and are the perfect treat for any occasion. Enjoy!